This website is developed from the site originally conceived developed & maintained by Marcus Castell and associates. Opinions are those of the various authors of the articles, and are not those of the NZ National Maritime Museum unless specifically noted. Information in this site has been updated to 2002 and will be progressively updated as resources allow. More information on historic ships (etc) is contained in the MARITIME INDEX website

Shaw Savill's barque Hinemoa 1890 - 1917

Introduction

The four-masted steel barque Hinemoa was reputed to be the only sailing ship built with freezing-machinery for the transport of up to 20,000 carcases of mutton from New Zealand, but she carried general cargo as well. This machinery was later removed and she then carried many thousands of immigrants to that remote colony. She was reported as being a handy, well-behaved ship with a good turn of speed.

According to Basil Lubbock in his book The Last of The Wind Jammers, one of her captains went mad, another was dismissed for criminal offenses, while still another became such a hopeless drunkard that at one stage the crew took over the running of the ship. A later captain was found shot with a revolver by his side, while his successor also died a violent death, though not aboard the Hinemoa; he shot himself while on a minesweeper off Lowestoft.

1890 November Launched at the shipyard of Russell & Co., Greenock, for the Shaw Savill and Albion Shipping Company.

1890 Commanded by Captain R. de Steiger.

1891 June 1 Arrived at Lyttelton with ballast reputed to be made up of rubble from an old London cemetery. It is said that this ballast shifted during the voyage laying the ship on her beam end.

1892 December 28 Arrived at Wellington with 235 passengers.

1894 Sailed from The Downs to Melbourne in 77 days.

1895 Sailed from the Lizard Lighthouse to Melbourne in 83 days.

Riding high at the Geelong Wharf
Victoria, Australia

1901 Sailed from Newcastle, NSW, to San Francisco in 60 days.

1902 December 25 - March 5 Sailed from San Francisco to Old Head, Kinsale, in 101 days.

1902 Sailed from Fredrikstad to Melbourne in 94 days.

1905 Transferred to Law, Leslie & Company of Glasgow.

1908 Above: stranded near Lorne Jetty, Australia, but got off without any major damage. Her captain was apparently severely censured for allowing the ship to drift ashore

1913 December 12 A seaman while returning to his ship fell into the dock at Portland, Oregon, USA. B. B. Jubb, an apprentice on the Glasgow barque Hinemoa left his bunk and plunged in and held him 'till a rope was got and he was pulled out.

1914 Sold to G. Windram & Company of Liverpool.

1917 Sold to J. G. P. Murphy of Liverpool.

1917 September 7 Sunk on voyage from Australia to Great Britain by a German submarine, 35 miles WSW of Bishop Rock.

This page is part of the Migrant Liners in the Antipodean Service section of theNew Zealand Maritime Record
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